STUFFED VEGETABLE IDLY

I am making this stuffed idly for the third time. Whenever i get bored of usual idly sambhar , i make this.This is one of the best ways to incorporate vegetables into idly.My daughter never eats the vegetables i add in sambhar. But she likes this idly a lot…U can just play around with different combinations of stuffing in it.I've given my method of making the filling. Do try this and leave ur feedback.

INGREDIENTS

IDLY batter – 1 bowl Water – little to dilute For stuffing Carrot – 2 nos Beans – 6 nos Potato – 1 no Green peas – 1/4 cup Big onion – 1 no Cooking oil – 1tbsp Turmeric powder – a pinch Salt – As needed Red chilly powder – 1/2 tsp Garam masala – 1/4 tsp To grind Cinnamon – 1 inch piecee Cloves – 1 no Fennel seeds – little Grated coconut – 1 tbsp Dalia / Fried gram dal – 1tsp Ginger – small piece & garlic – 6 cloves or GG paste – 1 / 4 tsp To garnish Coriander leaves – a few Lime juice -  As needed.

METHOD

• Heat a kadai with a tbsp of oil and add the onion pieces.
• Saute till it turns transparent. Now add the ground masala paste.
• Saute till the raw smell disappears.Then add the cooked vegetables and the powders.Mix well for few mins.
• Add the required water and boil well till the  stuffing thickens.
• Finally  add the lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves.
• In an idly pot, pour a tbsp of batter and keep a tsp of filling in the center.
• Then pour another tbsp of batter to cover the filling.Steam for 15 mins.
• Insert a fork, if it comes out clean, the idly is done.

Serve hot with sambhar ,coconut chutney  or tomato chutney !!

 

Here is a picture of stuffed idiyappam which i made the next day with the left over stuffing

 

Note:

• U can make the above version in chinese style by adding cabbage , little soya sauce , ajinomotto and white pepper powder.But avoid using garam masala pwd, red chilly powder and ground masala paste..Hope u all know this. Sometimes i make like this too.
• If u dont want to stuff the idly, just mix the above stuffing in the batter directly and make idlies.It tastes good in that way too..
• While making for kids , add a tsp of ghee over the stuffing in each idly .that gives an additional flavor..

Technorati Tags: Stuffed idly,vegetable idly,stuffed idiyappam,vegetable idiyapam,idly varieties.

BEETROOT PORIYAL

I learnt this from my mom.Usually my mom makes this as an accompaniment for keerai kuzhambu.Its my favorite..Last week i made for mor kuzhambu . It was a flavorful and excellent combo.

INGREDIENTS :

• Beetroot - 2 nos (big)
• Moong dal - 2 tbsp
• Salt & water - As needed
• Sambhar powder  or Red chilly powder- 1.5tsp

To grind :

• Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
• Small onion - 2 nos
• Jeera - 1/4 tsp

To temper :

• Oil -  1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Big onion - 1 no (finely chopped)
• Curry leaves - Few

METHOD :

• Chop the beetroot into small pieces and pressure cook along with moong dal , sambhar powder , salt & water.
• Grind all the ingredients given under 'to grind 'into a smooth paste adding little water.
• Now temper the items mentioned above and add the cooked beetroot mixture.
• Then add the ground coconut paste and saute well till the  raw smell emanates.

Enjoy with sambhar/ mor kuzhambu / Keerai kuzhambu with a papad .

KITCHEN CLINIC :

BEETROOT : Beetroot contains sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, iron, copper, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C. Each capsule provides approximately 1-2mg of elemental iron. Benefits and Features of Beetroot Beetroot provides a good source of anthocyanadins, a natural antioxidant that contributes to its deep red color Extract is a natural source of vitamins and minerals Beetroot is used traditionally as a blood building food Beetroot may aid the natural process of elimination and support detoxification processes Beetroot has liver, spleen, gall bladder and kidney cleansing properties Beetroot is particularly rich in Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron Each capsule provides approximately 1-2mg of elemental iron The iron contained in beetroot is organic and non-irritating and will not cause constipation Beetroot is useful in acidosis due to it being rich in alkaline elements Vacuum packed to enhance stability and shelf life Suitable for vegetarians and vegans Beetroot for Cholesterol Reduction Beet fiber has been shown to have cholesterol lowering capabilities. In a study on rats with induced high blood cholesterol, a red beet fiber diet caused a reduction of serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels (by 30 and 40%, respectively) and a significant increase in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). This diet induced also a significant decrease (almost by 30%) of cholesterol content in the aorta. Beetroot for Blood Pressure Beetroot juice has been shown to lower blood pressure in subjects with normal blood pressure. In healthy volunteers, approximately 3 hours after ingestion of 500 ml of beetroot juice, blood pressure was substantially reduced, an effect that correlated with peak increases in plasma nitrite concentration, nitrite being the blood pressure reducing ingredient. Beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. It has also been found that only a small amount of juice is needed – just 250ml – to have this effect. Beetroot for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Betaine, a nutrient found in beets and some other foods lowers plasma homocysteine, a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Betaine supplements are manufactured as a byproduct of sugar beet processing. Betaine "supplementation" has however been found to increase blood LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in healthy humans, which may undo the potential benefits for cardiovascular health of betaine supplementation through homocysteine lowering. Beetroot for Healthy Liver Function Beetroot contains the bioactive agent betaine, which supports healthy liver function. When the liver is functioning properly, fats are broken down efficiently, aiding weight loss, and preventing fatigue and nausea. Glycemic Index of Beetroot In a study to determine the estimated Glycemic Index of various foods, it was concluded that beetroot has a medium GI of 64. Adverse Reactions from Beetroot Beetroot and especially beet greens contain high levels of oxalate, and should be avoided by individuals with kidney stones containing oxalate Beetroot contains nitrates and when they are cooked and left standing at room temperature, microorganisms that convert nitrates to nitrites begin to multiply, and the amount of nitrites in the beetroot rises. The nitrites combine with amines in the stomach to form nitrosamines, some of which are known carcinogens.

Falafel Pita with Tahini Sauce Recipe

The Arabic Food Recipes kitchen (The Home of Delicious Arabic Food Recipes) invites you to try Falafel Pita with Tahini Sauce Recipe. Enjoy the Arabic Cuisine and  learn how to make Falafel Pita with Tahini Sauce. 

Switch up your lunch routine with a Falafel Pita with Tahini Sauce. Falafels are made with bulgur, garbanzo beans, herbs, and spices. Serve these Middle Eastern sandwiches with homemade Tahani Sauce inside a pita half with lettuce and roasted red peppers.

Yield: Makes 6 servings (serving size: 1 burger, 2 tablespoons tahini mixture)

Ingredients

2/3 cup bulgur
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 large egg white
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
4 cups torn lettuce
1 cup roasted red peppers
6 (6-inch) pitas

Preparation

Cook bulgur according to package directions; drain and set aside to cool.

In a food processor, combine cooked bulgur, garbanzo beans, egg white, parsley, 1/4 mint, garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Form mixture into 6 (approximately 3-inch) patties and place on a large plate. Refrigerate until firm (20 minutes).

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook falafel burgers until browned and heated through (3 minutes per side).

Transfer to a plate.

Before serving, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.

Divide falafel burgers, tahini mixture, lettuce, and roasted red peppers among pitas and serve.

Ellen Kunes and Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, CarbLovers Diet Cookbook, Health
JANUARY 2012

More Arabic Food Recipes:

Crispy Falafel with Yogurt Dip
Falafel in Pita with Yogurt Sauce
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Falafel Recipe from Scratch
Chickpea fritters (falafel)
Make Best Falafel Balls

Save and share Falafel Pita with Tahini Sauce Recipe

Want to share this recipe with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpanishRecipesinpictures/~3/Mg6xVZk4vI8/wheat-flour-and-organic-noodles-with.html

I love cooking 'fideus a la cassola' or paella on weekends for lunch, when there's plenty of time...

Get the rest in my blog! See you there!

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpanishRecipesinpictures/~3/_Zv-2z7SCaA/empanadillas-de-atun-tuna-patties.html

There must be something in the tuna... is this an obsession? Two dishes in a row with tuna... do...

Get the rest in my blog! See you there!

Small pies (Manaeish) or Fatayer Recipe

Photo: Small pies (Manaeish) or Fatayer Recipe

The Arabic Food Recipes kitchen (The Home of Delicious Arabic Food Recipes) invites you to try Small pies (Manaeish) or Fatayer Recipe. Enjoy the Arabic Cuisine and  learn how to make Small pies (Manaeish) or Fatayer.  

Ingredients

1 Tbs yeast
¼ Cup water, warm
2 ½ Cup flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
¾ Cup milk
¼ Cup oil
1 Egg, beaten +2 Tbs milk

Method

- Dissolve yeast in warm water, leave for 5 minutes or until foamy.
- Combine flour, salt and sugar in an electric mixer on low speed.
- Add yeast mixture, milk and oil while beating on medium speed for 10 minutes or until soft dough is formed (can be mixed with hands for about 25 minutes).
- Place dough and roll in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1hour or until doubled in size.
- Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a (½ cm thickness) circle. Cut into approximately 7 cm circles.
- Brush circle edges with the egg mixture and fill one side of the circle as desired (for example white cheese and dried mint mixture), then fold into a half circle; pinch the edges with a fork to seal. (Hint: flour the fork so it won't stick with the dough).
- Brush with the egg mixture, prick with a fork, sprinkle with sesame seeds, black sesame or crushed pistachios (as desirer).
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden (time may vary according to filling).

Serving Suggestions

*For spinach filling:
(Olive oil/ spinach, cut/ pomegranates seeds/pomegranates syrup/lemon juice)
- heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add ingredients and stir until done.
- Fill pies by adding a portion of the mixture in the middle of the dough circle, then fold edges to meet in the middle to shape a triangle. Top with pomegranates seeds.

* For minced beef filling (precooked ground beef, pine nuts)
- Place a portion of filling in the middle of the dough circle; pinch the edges to form an unsealed square. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.

Chef Osama

More Arabic Food Recipes: 

Stuffed Bread with Sausage and vegetables
Toast stuffed with chicken
Cumin pancake with hummus
Red Pepper Hummus with Toasted Pita Triangles
Grilled Veggie Hummus Wrap
Middle Eastern Platter

Save and share Small pies (Manaeish) or Fatayer Recipe

Want to share this recipe with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.

Cleaning up spilled oils

Dropping a glass bottle of oil can be quite messy to clean. Most of us usually wipe it off with a cloth, and wash with water and detergent, but still, the grease is always there.

There's another way to clean the oil slicked floor.
1. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour over the area and wait for the flour to absorb the oil.
2. If there are any glass bits, use brush, if not, a paper towel will do the work. Move the flour around the area to make sure that all the oil has been absorbed.
3. Sweep with a broom and dustpan.
4. Use a window cleaner to wipe away the last traces of oil and flour. 

Chef Osama  

Similar Posts:    

 

Storing Fruits and Vegetables in the Fridge

Simple ways to cook dry beans  

10 Random Cooking Tips and Tricks  

How To Choose Extra Virgin Olive Oil  

Tips on Keeping Food Fresh  

How To Find Halal Food Products

Save and share Cleaning up spilled oils

Want to share these cleaning tips with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.

Love begins in Winter

There's nothing more cozy than cuddling up on the sofa with a book and a box of chocolates on a chilly Winter day. And it seems I'm not alone in my love of pairing chocolates with a good read. For Valentine's Day this year one of my favorite chocolatiers Richart has combined a big box of chocolates with a book of short stories, from an award-winning writer Simon Von Booy. Even better, there are twelve specific chocolates that pair with passages from the book! The gift is called Love begins in Winter ($75), after the name of the book.

I haven't experienced any of the lovely pairings yet, but I spoke with Benjamin Auzimour in charge of Richart in North America, and he shared one of his favorites:

'Here's an extract that I like, about happiness, to be read while tasting a Petit Richart filled with salted butter caramel coulis, which will enhance the warmth of the feelings created by the scene. We can sense Simon's precise, concise, although almost impressionist style'

'when it started to get dark, Hannah and I left the shop. Bicycles were being wheeled home in the snow. Old women left bricks of cake on one another's doorsteps. The butcher was dressed up like Santa Claus.
Children peered out into the night from upstairs windows. And for several kilometers Hannah and I waded through snowy fields, past old gates and fallen tress, laughing and calling out as our bodies disappeared from view.
The shadows remained.
Gifts from the fallen, not lessening our happiness but guiding it, deepening it, and filling us with the passion we would need to sustain our love in the coming days.'

If you don't know Richart chocolates, I highly recommend you try them. Richart not only makes some of the creamiest confections thanks to their intense conching process, but also takes a very thoughtful approach to chocolate called QuintesSense:

1. Knowledge of what you're tasting - background, origins, geography...
2. Sensory analysis
3. 'Emotional' analysis - memories, feelings...
4. Finding the overall flavor of this very moment
5. Sharing it with others

They use Venezuelan criollo cocoa beans and make delicate confections using a wide variety of flavors, some that might seem unusual like flowers and herbs but always achieve balance and pure perfection, as far as I'm concerned.

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

Why do YOU cook, Monica Bhide?

I'm not sure there is a harder working food writer than Monica Bhide. She teaches, writes magazine articles, has a syndicated newspaper column called Seasonings, and has written several cookbooks including her most recent, Modern Spice. What I like about her writing is the personal stories and her enthusiasm for using different ingredients. She's also about as big a twitteraholic as I am. Not only do I learn something new when I read her stories, articles and tweets, but I enjoy the journey.

As a child, I always felt that I had trouble relating with the world. I always felt that I did not fit in the crowd and that I could not really 'connect' with people. Then one day, I discovered what I did relate to: the kitchen. I would spend hours watching my parents and my grandparents and uncles and aunts cooking but never attempted to try it myself. I think I was about 8 or 9 when I began to cook. It was an experience unlike any other. I never felt awkward or out of place in the kitchen. I never thought of cooking as hard (unlike school work!). The kitchen made me feel at peace with myself. It was around the same time that I started writing... but all the writing was private. I never shared it with anyone.

But back to cooking: As a child, there were so many things I could not do. I did not know how to swim or ride a bike or be one with the in crowd. But I knew how to bring out the best in eggplant, i knew how to sizzle cumin just right to release it's flavor and aroma, i knew how to stuff an okra with a pungent spice mix, I knew how to simmer a deep and intensely flavored lamb curry. I would go to the farmers market and pick fruits and vegetables with my dad and learned how to tell good fish from bad. And then the magic happened: when I served the food to people, they liked it. It became the source of connection with friends and family and those who came to my table. I felt like I finally had made a connection. Years later, as I cook to care and nurture my family, my writing grew up. I heard from more and more people that they connected with my words and that made them want to cook my food.

I cook because it is who I am. Cooking, for me, is a away of nurturing those around me and sharing a part of me with them. My world of writing and food makes me feel like I belong in this world and that I have a purpose and that I matter and can make a difference.



Monica Bhide is the twentieth person profiled in this series. Read more profiles.

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

Granola Berry Parfait Recipe

I can eat the same thing for breakfast day after day. Then suddenly I'm on to something else. At the moment, my breakfast of choice is a granola parfait. I bought parfait glasses for ice cream, but use them for breakfast and fruit salad more frequently. I also got those skinny spoons you need to fit down into the bottom of the glass! This is hardly a recipe, more of a technique. But anything that can help 'cereal' sound more exciting is worth doing. The trick to making a good parfait is to layer the ingredients nicely. Start with the yogurt on the bottom because anything else is too hard to get at with your spoon.

I've been using Driscoll's organic berries, Greek yogurt and The Bunnery granola. I recently got some samples of the granola and I really like it. I make my own granola but you have to eat it when it's fresh so I don't always have it on hand. The Bunnery original granola has relatively few ingredients just oats, honey, sunflower seeds, coconut, canola oil, sesame seeds, water, almonds, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. It's light and crunchy and not too clumpy which is best for parfaits.

You can make parfaits with just yogurt and fruit if you like. Or of course, you can also make parfaits with ice cream and fruit or sauces. But I think this is the best way to put a sexy spin on cereal. It's pretty, healthy and easy to make.

Berry Granola Parfaits

Mixed berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries
Yogurt, plain or flavored, regular or Greek
Granola

Layer a spoonful of yogurt into the bottom of the parfait glass and top with a layer of granola. Just a little! You want to make sure you leave enough room for multiple layers. Top the granola with one layer of berries. Repeat and end with a dollop of yogurt and a berry on top.

Enjoy!

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs

I believe there's a trick to making kebabs. While skewers threaded with alternating chunks of vegetables and seafood, meat or whatever-you-put-on-a-skewer look great, they are difficult to cook so that everything is done at the same time. On the other hand, if you make each skewer with just one ingredient, it's guaranteed to cook evenly. Another thing, I have metal skewers and bamboo ones as well. Recipes always tell you to soak the bamboo skewers so they don't burn. But I can't be bothered. I'm going to throw the skewers away after I use them anyway so what do I care if they burn? I've never had any kebabs burst into flames and I'm not cooking over an open flame (unless I'm broiling) so it's really no big deal.

Food on a stick always seems to be more plentiful than just plain grilled food-on-a-plate. I don't know why. I had lots of chicken thighs, because I bought a 'value pack' for 99 cents a pound. But I had to buy 4 pounds. Luckily I have a household of two. I can't imagine one person eating anywhere near that much chicken.

I made a simple marinade for the chicken and the vegetables, using the paltry ingredients I had on hand. I used only vegetables that were on sale. Fresh herbs would have been a nice addition but I didn't have the budget for them and my dry Italian seasoning mix probably would have burned. I served these skewer with couscous but really any starch would do. After I bought the bulk couscous I saw bulgar which was much cheaper and probably has more nutritional value. In an attempt to use everything possible, I added the lemon zest from my half lemon to the couscous. This is not a recipe I would make again. It was healthy, cheap and fast, but it was also boring.

Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs

$2.92 for 2 servings

1/2 onion .10
1/2 zucchini .34
1 Anaheim chile pepper .29
4 oz. button mushrooms, stems removed .99
2 chicken thigh, skinned and boned .80

1 Tablespoon olive oil .18
Juice of 1/2 lemon .17
I clove garlic, pressed .05
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix the marinade, toss the vegetables in it then thread on skewers. Then place the chicken in the marinade, allow to marinate for 10 minutes then thread on skewers. Grill or broil until done.

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.